First-of-its-kind Freely box hit with price rise just two months after release

The original £99 price tag for the Pleio box included the set-top box, remote, games controller, and a three-month trial to its premium subscription, which includes access to premium channels and cloud gaming.

The revised £119.98 price tag now comes with a full year of premium channels and cloud gaming, instead of a limited three-month trial.

Speaking to GB News, Managing Director of Netgem UK, Sylvain Thevenot said: "Our primary distribution model has always been to provide a service for ISPs; we have now applied this same approach to our retail customers. As a result, customers who purchase on Amazon now benefit from 12 months for free, rather than three months.

"Pleio is a living service that evolves every month. If you buy a standard set-top box, the software and content are often frozen in time on the day of purchase. With the PLEIO Subscription, the £99 fee covers a year of active, curated expansion – and we treat the device like a managed platform, with fresh content and updates.

"It's a similar model to a phone contract. Consumers don't pay the full price of the hardware upfront; they pay for the access and the network. By retaining the title for 12 months, we can bundle £100+ worth of value (Gaming/Content/Warranty) into that initial price point, knowing the customer is committed to the platform for a year.

"Blocking early resale is a way to protect that ecosystem. We want to ensure that every active PLEIO user is a genuine subscriber getting the full experience (Support, Warranty, Updates), rather than someone buying a second-hand box with no service attached. After 12 months, the user automatically owns the box and they simply choose whether to renew the PLEIO subscription."

As referenced by the Netgem exec., it's worth remembering that ownership of the hardware is deferred until the 12-month subscription period ends, which means you’re essentially leasing or financing it as part of the subscription. You can't sell the Pleio box after six months as a second-hand item, since you don't technically own it at that point.

The Pleio's big selling point is that seamless Freely experience with a proper electronic programme guide – no aerial needed.

Freely has a few new tricks up its sleeves when compared to watching many of the same channels on Freeview or Freesat. For example, you can restart a show that's already started with a single button press — saving you the hassle of jumping to a catch-up service to watch the beginning.

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You can also browse through previously aired episodes in the same series directly from the TV Guide, bringing together on-demand catalogues available to stream and live terrestrial television in a way previously only seen from the likes of Sky Stream, Virgin TV Stream, and EE TV.

New features are being added all of the time, with the Everyone TV team behind Freely adding the ability to scroll backwards through time on the TV Guide to access content from streaming services, earlier this year. Likewise, the catch-all My List feature announced earlier this year is now available on all Freely-powered gadgets.

If that isn't enough, the Android 14-powered Pleio includes access to the Google Play Store, so you'll be able to download a wide selection of streaming apps, like Netflix, Prime Video, NOW, Disney+, YouTube, and more.

Still want more to watch? Netgem can unlock more than 150 FAST channels to your Pleio box if you subscribe to its optional monthly plan. Not only that, but the Pleio can double up as a fairly convincing console too.

There's a dedicated Bluetooth-enabled controller in the box, and you'll unlock more than 250 titles as part of that same subscription. Netgem owns a cloud gaming service, so most of the grunt happens on its servers.

What's the catch? Netgem hasn't included an aerial port on the back of the Pleio — something that isn't the case with all Freely-enabled devices available on store shelves today.

As such, if you lose your broadband connection, there's no way to continue watching free-to-air television via this Freely-powered box.

Netgem also decided not to include a hard drive, so there's no way to record shows when they air — you'll be completely reliant on the libraries of streamers like BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, U, and others.

If you're put off by the price, comparable devices like the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus would only set you back £59.99 – it gives you BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and more through individual apps. While it's not quite as slick as Freely's unified guide, it does the job.

You can experience next-level entertainment with the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, which is one of the most advanced 4K streaming sticks yet. It's designed for smoother, faster streaming thanks to Wi-Fi 6, even when multiple devices are connected.

You can watch your favourites in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and immersive Dolby Atmos audio for a truly cinematic experience.

Plus, you have the ability to stream thousands of films and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more. Use the Alexa Voice Remote to search, launch apps, control your TV, and manage compatible smart home devices — all with your voice.

Fancy something even cheaper? Roku's Streaming Stick Plus costs just £39.99.

The Roku Streaming Stick is designed for you to enjoy effortless HD streaming. You can discover all the top apps in one place, plus plenty of free films, TV shows, and live TV.

Designed to stay out of sight, the sleek Streaming Stick plugs directly into your TV without blocking neighbouring HDMI ports and can be powered by your TV’s USB port. That means no plug socket, no extra cables, and no clutter.

You can also control your TV and Roku device with one voice remote — power up, adjust volume, search, and play with ease.